The Spirit for Xmas

Frank Miller is bringing his SIN CITY-ish directing style and (theoretically) Will Eisner's comic sensibilities to screens with THE SPIRIT, and now Lionsgate is bringing it to you early.

Utilizing the whole "Spirit of Christmas" marketing synergy, the studio has elected to drag the rooftop-bounding hero away from the previous dead zone of next January and plunked its release squarely on December 25th of this year. The crimefighter will have to wrestle with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston comedies opening the same day. Pow!

The decision apparently came after the project's strong response at the NY Comic Con, and not the online response to the leaked pics of Sam Jackson's fruity villain. The flick stars Gabriel Macht as the square-jawed leading man, whose city screams despite being filled with scenery like Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Paz Vega and Jamie King.